The Forehead Protector
by Beloved Jasmine
Summary: In the land of Fire, Konoha ninjas are preferring to live normal lives. The last forehead protector, protected from the flames that destroyed the rest, lies in the hands of a girl called Haruno Sakura, the girl who will bring back the ninjas. Sasusaku. AU but still ninjas.


Chapter One-Friends and foes

**The Forehead Protector**

In the land of Fire, Konoha ninjas are preferring to live normal lives. The last forehead protector, protected from the flames that destroyed the rest, lies in the hands of a girl called Haruno Sakura, the girl who will bring back the ninjas. Sasusaku.

NOTE: this is an AU that is still on ninjas. The plot will be changed. Sasuke has not left, and Naruto and Sakura have not met Sasuke. Most people have not met others. Itachi killed Sasuke's family, but only recently. They are all 18.

* * *

_Prologue_

_Peace rang out through the world. No countries battled with each other, allies were growing and even the lands with no ethics were leaving their neighbours alone._

_Sixteen year old Sakura watched as time passed by and slowly those around her, more importantly her friends, let their ninja lives go to reside into the safety of 'normal' life._

_They preferred no violence, and thought that now everyone was friends the ninjas were no longer needed. They didn't want to worry their family, or leave their land without the guarantee of return. _

_Secretly, she longed for a civilian life. Being naïve to the worries of the world, only worrying about getting a job and being able to fall in love and settle down._

_In was very tempting when her friends quit, and took fun jobs or went into studying. They realised the fun of normal life and the feeling of no danger._

_One by one, forehead protectors were dropped. The metal burned and recycled and the fabric cut and reused. In addition, weapons were left to rust and chakra wasn't channelled anymore._

_People who wished to remain ninja joined the police force instead and shed their proud ninja headband._

_In the modernising Konoha, the ninja world was coming crashing down. Everyone wanted something else and left the danger zone._

_When the time came, she did so too, along with the many others in their land. But her ninja equipment was never unused, her chakra never untouched and her weapons never unsharp. Why? Because she had never stopped training. Even if the world had stopped fighting, she and a select few would continue._

* * *

_Chapter One-Friends and Foes _

Two years later...

It was in a dark room, where two desperate people watched the video of a young teenager training.

One of these two people, a wrinkled woman with barely open eyes nodded.

"Haruno Sakura."

"Is it her?" A blonde, anxious female asked.

"Patience, Tsunade. Let me check once more." An old lady, Utatane Koharu, spoke. She looked through the video again and her lips twitched in happiness. Of course, as much as they would allow.

"She will be the one." The council member spoke, her voice tinged with age and experience. "Who will bring back the legacy of the Konoha ninjas."

Koharu rose from her position. Looking at Tsunade, she clasped her hands together.

"I request permission, from Tsunade the Great, to bring out the last ninja headband and to appoint it to our successor." Her voice said the words slowly and in a strong tone.

Tsunade, her eyes glinting with hope, smiled. Looking up towards her elder, she uttered,

"Permission granted."

Koharu had too much pride to bow, but managed to nod in gratitude.

The Hokage pressed the golden button on the ceiling of the room. A column rose from the ground. A glass case lay rested firmly on the column and it shined with importance.

However, inside of the case lay something unique, treasured and significant.

The last forehead protector.

One which had been protected from the searing flames and village destroyers. This headband was there to remind Tsunade, the head of the village, that ninjas once existed and haven't been forgotten. But also, that they are still there.

Unfortunately, the others couldn't be saved or stopped from burning. As so many people wanted all the ninja hitai-ate burned and forgotten, she was powerless and had no choice to let them all burn. If not, protests and sabotages would be what she would receive.

But, what she did do was save one. Her own.

The metal with the Konoha leaf shone brightly, showing the once strong will of protection and defiance of the Leaf. The classic clean navy blue fabric stretched out neatly across the glass case and looked like the ultimate soft fabric, but also strong and able to last in battle.

There was a problem though. Even though this accessory protected ninjas, it couldn't protect itself. This forehead protector needed a protector itself. If not, the hands of anti-ninja co-operations and enemies of Konoha would take it and destroy it.

If the last protector was destroyed, no proof of ninjas would be left and people would lose their belief. Also, it would show that the village was weak and civilians wouldn't want to stay in an unsafe environment.

Tsunade couldn't order them to be manufactured again because surely someone will sabotage them and no ninjas would be there to protect the factory.

Others would do that as revenge to Konoha. After all, without ninjas, there was only the police force, and they were slow to respond. But, there were some ninjas inside the team so crimes inside the town were dealt with quickly. Even still, the underlying truth still lay, that if Konoha or the other allies were attacked with rogue ninjas or enemy countries which still kept ninjas, they would be slightly above defenceless. And then Tsunade would have to force the others to return to being ninja, which was not a good option.

Tsunade smiled. Finally, they had found someone. A will of the ninja.

The others who were found with the will of the ninja, would be given special secret missions and be recruited into the team of bringing the ninja back.

Sand, and other hidden villages had kept a ninja headband of their own too, and Tsunade was sure that they were appointing someone to protect the forehead protector(who was most likely the Kage) and help bring back the ninjas. But being Konoha, they would have the biggest role.

And now Tsunade could focus on her job as Hokage, leader of the village.

* * *

A pretty woman sat alone at a table in the park, studying.

Someone behind walked slowly towards her table.

"Hey Sakura!"

"You're late Ino! How was work?" An eighteen year old Sakura asked her friend of twelve years. Ino had recently started a flower shop, with the help of her parents.

"Alright. The customers are coming very slowly. But daddy will be able to help me." She sighed. "How about you?"

"I'm doing fine! I love my job!" The pink haired girl grinned.

"Who would of thought my best friend would become a boxing instructor?!" Ino added dramatically.

"It's my way of still being able to get the thrill of fighting. Besides, it's only part time and I'm still studying to be a nurse." Sakura shrugged, her enthusiasm gone.

"And...where were you yesterday afternoon? I couldn't find you anywhere!" The confident blonde prodded.

"I was at my parents." She lied. Ino didn't know she trained secretly and only her parents and Naruto did.

"Oh. What did you do?" She questioned casually.

"Not much, baked a cake and told my mum she's getting old." She feigned nonchalance . "My dad was sleeping."

She looked at her watch. "It's 12pm! Gotta go! Nice talking to you, even if it was short!" She packed up her things and ran.

"Bye Sakura! If I came earlier we could of talked more! Sorry!" Her loud yells reached her best friend.

"Bye!" Sakura shouted back.

* * *

She entered her regular lunch place.

"Hello Sakura-chan!"

"Hi Naruto! Get me a pork ramen!"

"Okay! On the house!" The blond shouted it happily and started to cook it it front of her.

Sakura smiled. She had met Naruto once when she was secretly training and together they trained. She had become best friends with him and even more when she knew he owned a ramen stand.

"Here!" Naruto came round to personally serve it to her.

He placed it down on the bar and sat down next to her.

"Wait don't you have to work?"

"It's only for 15 minutes! There's other staff and Konohamaru and his friends can handle the orders!" He pointed to his young part time teen workers.

The eighteen year old grabbed a pair of chopsticks and cracked them open. She started to take a few bites before turning to her blue-eyed best friend.

"So how have you been?"

"Pretty good! This is the life, alongside my ramen!" He exclaimed. "Everyday smelling the aromas of sweet happiness!"

"That is really unhealthy Naruto. I will give you vegetables for dinner if you don't start eating them." She threatened jokily.

"I'll try. You seen Sai?" He asked curiously, wondering about their former team 7 member. They were no longer a team and it had been 5 years since they had been one.

"Yeah. Called him yesterday. He's been travelling and painting around."

"Good for him." Naruto grumbled jealously.

"Well you wanted to know." She retorted.

The next five minutes was spent with Naruto babbling while Sakura finished her food.

Sakura lowered her voice and reached to hug him.

"How about training after I finish work today?" She whispered it into his ear.

"Sure. I'll pick you up after work ad walk you to the grounds!" He replied cheerily and quietly, placing his arms around her.

"Thanks Naruto." She pulled away and held a tip in her hand.

"No, Sakura-chan! You're my best friend and I can't accept it from you!"

Her face darkened. "Take. It."

Naruto lifted his arms in protection.

"Fine!" She yelled, not really angry.

She left the stand, dropping the tips on the table.

"Bye Sakura-chan! See you later!" He called after her, picking up the tips.

Sakura smirked and waved.

* * *

"I want you to hit this punchbag consecutively until you feel so exhausted you can't anymore. Your partner can hold the bag on the other side to prevent swinging. Begin!" Sakura commanded it smoothly.

Her ten students nodded in understanding and turned to their individual punchbags.

Sakura looked to her students and gave strict words of encouragement and scolding to those who deserved it.

"Come on Idate-san!" She said to the newest student, a cowardly runner who wanted to prove himself to his brother, Morino Ibiki.

"Hai Sakura-san!" He proceeded with more gusto.

"Lee-san! You are meant to be holding the bag! Not doing push ups!"

"Sorry Sakura-san!" Flames erupted in his eyes as he supported the bag with his fingers. "I love you and I'm doing this for you!" He declared.

Sakura sighed at her over energetic admirer.

She was about to call for everyone to switch when the doors of the training room were burst open.

A dark haired man walked into the room and Sakura was stunned with his wonderful looks.

"Fight me." His voice said the words slowly as his dark eyes glared at everyone in the room.

* * *

A/N- Thanks for reading. Please review, favourite and follow if you like the story. ;) It will further encourage me to update vigorously.

If you spot any mistakes in my writing, or do not understand anything, please don't be afraid to review to tell or ask me something. I'll be grateful and happy. And if you could tell me what you dislike and like I'll be happy.

Oh and when do you want me to update? I'll try the next chapter in a week or maybe that's too short?

Thank you...


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